


White Rose

by Pfain Ryder (Cat_Moon)



Category: Quantum Leap
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-20 16:15:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19995073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat_Moon/pseuds/Pfain%20Ryder
Summary: Sometimes coming home isn't a happy ending.  A short story about saying goodbye.





	White Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in "Green Eggs & Ham #3".

I watched as she bent over and placed a single, perfect white rose on the ground before the grave. A cheerful yellow bouquet of daises had already been put down for the grandfather she never knew.

A light rain began to fall, befitting the solemn gray of her eyes. When she's happy, her eyes are so much like yours, Sam. She's so full of life and promise, I can barely keep up with her. She's got some great new ideas that are really gonna set the physics world on its ear, too.

You'd be proud of her.

If only you could have seen her as she is now, just once as her father, instead of a stranger and employer. She was there, Sam; she didn't leave your side from the time they rushed you to the infirmary until you breathed your last breath. Only you never regained consciousness. She told me you knew she was there, though. And at least you weren't alone when you made that last leap. We were there, holding your hands. It might be my imagination, but I swear I felt you squeeze my hand, right at the end.

Funny how history repeats itself, even without intervention. Your father died of a heart attack...but none of us ever dreamed that the shock of the successful retrieval would trigger a massive coronary. The leaping through time never affected you before...or so we thought. There was nothing any of us could do, except say goodbye.

I thought about using the Accelerator to try and save you, but I just couldn't do it. Ziggy said the only way to prevent this would be to stop you from ever taking that first, fateful leap.

And if I did that, Sammy Jo would have winked out of existence.

I know you agree with my decision. An innocent girl doesn't deserve to pay for our sins, or to be a sacrifice for selfishness.

I took her hand as we bid our farewell until next year, when we'll make this same pilgrimage to the family plot in Indiana.

"At least I got to tell my father that I loved him," she whispered, squeezing my hand. "I know he heard me."

As we turned to walk out of the cemetery, a ray of sun began trying to break free of the clouds. I glanced back, a smile sharing with the tears.

As long as she's alive, you're still here, Sam.

And we'll never forget you, my dearest friend.

**the end**

12/4/92


End file.
